It is not as big of a truck stop that many people in Great Bend have been seeking, but Great Bend Chamber of Commerce CEO Jan Peters says it is the closest thing the City can get right now.
Peters announced at Monday’s Great Bend City Council meeting that Love’s Country Store on 10th Street will be expanding their property lines to include diesel pumps and semi-truck parking.
Peters noted the Chamber and City of Great Bend have been working with Love’s since 2015 to install a truck stop.
Jan Peters Audio
Love’s plans to expand their current location to the south and the east. Along with creating parking stalls for trucks, the expansion will have two diesel bays.
Peters acknowledged that they were working with Love’s to relocate further east near the Kansas Department of Transportation building and Eldridge Fencing to a much bigger lot to help alleviate the truck parking at Walmart. Love’s noted the success of the current location as the reason to stay put.
Jan Peters Audio
Love’s will spend $1.5 million to $2 million on the renovation. Engineers from Love’s anticipate coming to Great Bend in mid-January to work out more of the details and contracts.
Other news from the City Council meeting Dec. 17, 2018…
– City Administrator Kendal Francis said Venture Corporation anticipates finishing asphalting 8th Street between McKinley and Grant this week. Waterline construction will begin after the asphalt is laid.
– Public works will be doing patching work on 10th Street near Burger King and Sonic starting at 4 a.m. Dec. 18 and hope to be done by 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. Repairing potholes will eventually take place at the Harrison & Broadway intersection.
– Public works has also inspected and flushed all fire hydrants in town. They identified roughly 10 that need repairs. The fire hydrant at 24th & Washington was struck in a hit-and-run accident last week and needs repairs. Francis said that hydrant and the one at 24th & Adams have valves that are not properly working. The hit-and-run accident caused Jefferson Elementary School to close for a period of time last week because the City could not get the valves shut off quick enough. Police Chief David Bailey says the Police Department is still investigating the case to locate the driver.
– Community Coordinator Christina Hayes mentioned the Trail of Lights was referenced in winter edition of Kansas Magazine.
– The City Council approved 2018 nonbudgeted transfers from the general fund not to exceed $2,140,389.12.
– A renegotiated contract between the City and Great Bend Chamber of Commerce was approved that starts Dec. 18, 2018 that better outlines the scope of services and articulates the Chamber’s goals.
– The Council removed the request for Executive Session to discuss City Administrator Kendal Francis’ evaluation and potential pay raise. City Attorney Bob Suelter said the staff wanted to create some guidelines for the Council to conduct the six-month evaluation of Francis. Francis started at the end of July so the evaluation will need to be done at the next meeting in January.